A new condominium development unlike any other is offering residents a unique multi-family living experience. Boasting design elements which can only be described as “industrial chic,” this new housing development transforms utilitarian mechanisms from 20th century ice manufacturing into current design features.
Built in the 1920s the building at 609 South Boulevard first served as an ice production facility, before being used as a warehouse and then a printing facility. When developer Jeff Scales found the property, he had an entirely different vision in mind: multi-family housing.
The project known simply as Icehouse – a name that acts as an homage to its origin nearly 100 years ago – stands less than 400 feet away from the South Boulevard CTA station. The commuter-friendly, two-story building houses 16 units, all of which feature distinctive layouts in one-, two-, or three-bedroom options. Also included in the plans are an elevator, bike storage, and an enclosed parking structure with 16 available spaces.
“After undergoing so many transformations to accommodate various uses, the building currently has a lot of unique and strange structural elements,” said John Myefski, principal at Myefski Architects based in Evanston, who are shaping this project. “But it’s an exciting challenge to try to make multi-family housing work within this space. By reusing this building, not only are we cutting down on cost, financially and environmentally, but we are also able to restore one of the most remarkable buildings in Evanston and allow it to serve a new purpose.”
Construction is planned to begin this fall.